A mix of cultures, starlight and a silver screen

By Andrea Gregory

A new community organization is hoping for clear skies on Friday nights as it plans to launch open-air movie showings in September.

Under the Stars International Movie Nights is a celebration of mixed cultures and heritages in the community. The selection came via recommendations from local residents. While some residents may reminisce about home, hearing actors speak in their native tongues, other movie watchers will be welcomed into new experiences and have the opportunity to meet new people, said Carrie Dancy, executive director of East Somerville Main Streets, the events sponsor.

East Somerville Main Streets is in its first year of operation. It is a branch of a national group run through the National Trust for Historic Preservation.  The group’s mission is to promote cultural and economic development. The idea is to maintain small staffs to play a supportive role and really have the community take the lead, said Dancy.

“You are really asking the community to build itself up,” she said.

Although there have been a few meat-and-greet type gatherings hosted by the new Somerville organization, this is the first true community-wide event and all are invited. The series of foreign films will run on three consecutive Fridays in September.

“We wanted something that was diverse and vibrant,” said Dancy. “We really wanted an event representative of the entire community and open to the entire community. This is kind of a gift to the community.”

The series kicks of with an Italian night and the showing of "Cinema Paradiso."It is the story of a young boy growing up in a local cinema. The film with a post-war Sicily backdrop won an Academy Award for best foreign film in 1989.

Dancy said the movie was highly recommended by several residents.

On Sept. 14, moviegoers will be transported to Brazil as "Auto Da Compadecida" shows on the silver screen. It was not hard to make this selection given it is Brazil’s highest-grossing movie and a favorite among the Brazilians now living in Somerville.

“The Brazilian film was highly recommended by everyone we spoke to,” Dancy said. “We definitely tried to talk to as many residents as possible.”

But the selection process was not always so easy. The final film in the series "El Silencio de Neto " was among the few Guatemalan feature-length films that Main Streets could access.

As residents began to suggest films, Main Streets found that there are not vast selections of feature length in circulation or readily available from all countries. Knowing the organization wanted to showcase a film from Central America, it began to look for alternative ways to access films. Main Streets ended up talking to Luis Argueta, the movie’s director, and getting his OK to run the film in the upcoming series.

"El Silencio de Neto" is the first feature film to be internationally released from Guatemala. It is said to be an inspiring film of the country’s political and social changes about a boy and his uncle daring to dream.

All of the movies will have English subtitles.

Dancy said East Somerville is the oldest and most diverse section of the city. Promoting different cultures, heritages and histories will only better the energy of the area. Although a large and diverse city, Somerville still has a neighborhood and community feel to it, she said.

All of the movies begin at 8 p.m. 165 Broadway, behind the old fire station will be transformed into an outside theater. The shows are free and open to everyone.

“Come prepared to have a good time,” said Dancy.

For more information about the movie showings or East Somerville Main Streets, call (617) 741-0230.

Comments

[Imux]

What a brilliant idea by ICE staff! Get all the illegal immigrants (Brazilians, Guatas, etc) in one place, raid the place - check everyone's papers - and toss the ones who aren't here legally out! I love it! Finally, our tax dollars doing some good.

I mean this has to be an illegal immigrant setup, right? Why the hell else would our tax dollars (police details, cleanup, etc) be going to support films catered to non-US citizens who don't speak english and don't seem to want to learn?! Wait a minute... this is the new PDS infested Somervile!!! We're soooooooo screwed in this city now!!

[Ron Newman]

Excuuuuuse me, but plenty of English-speakers like to watch foreign films. Cinema Paradiso received an Academy Award for Best Foreign Film, and was immensely popular. I'm just curious which version will be shown: the Italian-release 155-minute, the US-release 123-minute, or the director's cut 170-minute.

Did you object to the Mayor's earlier series of outdoor summer films, or do you just hate to read subtitles?

[Craig]

Imux's comments are infused with hate - no sense in trying to reason with that.

[Allison]

I for one am quite happy about this celebration and bringing together of community. Maybe Imux can learn a little something about love thy neighbor even.

~Allison

[Imux]

On Sept. 14, moviegoers will be transported to Brazil as "Auto Da Compadecida" shows on the silver screen. It was not hard to make this selection given it is Brazil’s highest-grossing movie and a favorite among the Brazilians now living in Somerville.

and El Silencio de Neto - is a film from GUATEMALA.

Ron and fellow moonbats, I actually like foreign films, but tell me how showing those movies is not catering to the illegal immigrant community is East Somerville? How about an African or Polish film? Why Brazilian and Guatemalan? Note that ESMS is not supposed to be an illegal immigrant supporting organization - it's just turned into it. They're funded from tax dollars (National Historic Preservation Fund) and their non-profit status just means they need to piss away more of our tax $$$.

The good news is that I have heard that ICE will be there in force -- they will be using these movie nights as a "honeypot" to lure in illegals and then toss them out. If that is true, then I whole heartedly support this event.

[Carrie Dancy]

East Somerville Main Streets’ mission is to help build East Somerville as a thriving, safe, friendly neighborhood and commercial district that welcomes cultural diversity and offers a variety of businesses, which both serve and employ residents. East Somerville Main Streets works in collaboration with business owners, residents, agencies, and neighborhood groups to make East Somerville a great place to live, work & socialize.

Our International Movie Night is intended to be a fun, free celebration for Somerville residents to enjoy and learn about each other’s cultures. All are welcome.

[CAP]

It will be nice to see the real Somerville out. The City's summer movie series is great, but how much cutesy Disney can one adult take? The international movies seem more like a real Somerville event. And i know a lot of old timers who enjoy trying out things from the new cultures around town. Being around a lot of diverse cultures and experiences is part of living in the big city, isn't it? Otherwise, we should all just move to rural Nebraska, where it would be a lot cheaper.